Top News:
Associated Press:
Ellsbury, Youkilis HRs back Wakefield in 6-4 win — BOSTON (AP) — Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis had three extra-base hits apiece, and Tim Wakefield scattered nine hits in seven innings to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Boston Herald and TSN.ca
RELATED:
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Pregame news: Lester to DL — Jon Lester was scheduled to have an MRI this afternoon, but regardless of what the test shows, he's heading to the disabled list, Sox manager Terry Francona said at his press conference moments ago. — Lester is being replaced on the roster by Scott Atchison who will be used out of the bullpen.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, Fenway West, Over the Monster and Surviving Grady
Joe McDonald / ESPN:
Red Sox put Lester on DL as MRI shows strain
Discussion:
Boston Globe and joy of sox
Nesn Video / NESN.com:
Theo Epstein Says Red Sox More Likely to Be in Market for Position Players As Trade Deadline Nears
Discussion:
Over the Monster, MLB Rumors and WEEI
MLB.com:
Bucs decison-makers prep for Trade Deadline — PITTSBURGH — General manager Neal Huntington led a meeting on Wednesday in which manager Clint Hurdle and other key decision makers in the organization discussed the team's outlook approaching the July 31 Trade Deadline.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Karen Price / PittsburghLIVE.com:
Pirates begin discussions on trade deadline
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and MLB Rumors
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle:
Giants' Bruce Bochy criticizes the criticizers
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout and HardballTalk
Brian Costa / Wall Street Journal:
K-Rod Makes Accountants Nervous — Rodriguez Is on Pace to Finish 61 Games, Which Would Trigger His Hefty $17.5 Million Option — LOS ANGELES—With 32 games finished so far this season, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez entered Tuesday on pace to finish 61 games on the year.
RELATED:
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Heyman talks about Reyes, Beltran and K-Rod
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Davidoff On Twins, Indians, Reyes, Rays
Discussion:
The Process Report
Associated Press:
Slumping Rockies Fall to Braves, 9-1 — ATLANTA (AP) — Jim Tracy is hoping better health and improved starting pitching leads to a second-half run after his Colorado Rockies fell five games below .500 for the first time this season. — Aaron Cook gave up 10 hits and seven runs …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Ogando gets back on track with Rangers rout of Orioles — ARLINGTON, Texas — Alexi Ogando allowed four hits over seven innings in his last start before the all-star break as the Texas Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with an 13-5 victory on Wednesday night.
Associated Press:
Astros five-run inning beats Pirates, snaps five-game slide — PITTSBURGH — Hunter Pence had three hits, including an RBI single during a five-run sixth inning, and the Houston Astros snapped a five-game losing streak with an 8-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Ben Shpigel / Bats:
No Delay in Jeter's Pursuit of 3,000 — CLEVELAND — Derek Jeter and Joe Girardi spoke sometime around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the visiting manager's office at Progressive Field, and their conversation spilled over into a series of late-night text messages. Jeter tried to change his mind …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports and New York Times
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Nats get another one-run victory, beat Cubs again — WASHINGTON — Wilson Ramos decided a game of two-run homers with a suicide squeeze, driving in Michael Morse in the seventh inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Denver Post:
Jeff Francis: Former Rockies pitcher talks Royals, Rocktober and Sports Illustrated cover — Ever wanted to ask a sports personality a question? Now's your chance. They will answer readers' questions in The Denver Post's “Fan Mail” feature. — Up this week is former Rockies pitcher Jeff Francis …
Richard Durrett / ESPN:
Brandon Webb likely out for year — Texas Rangers right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb's MRI taken this week shows some changes in his rotator cuff and the club reports that Webb is weighing his options, which could include surgery. — This latest setback makes it likely Webb is done pitching for the rest of the 2011 season.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball, Foul Territory and Yahoo! Sports
Troy Renck / All Things Rockies:
Rockies' CarGo takes BP, might start Thursday — ATLANTA — It isn't Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett. But on paper tonight's game is a mismatch. The Braves are healthy and starting Jair Jurrjens, arguably the National League's best pitcher in the first half.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Chen's strong start, Hosmer's homer help Royals beat White Sox — CHICAGO — Bruce Chen pitched effectively into the seventh inning and Eric Hosmer hit a home run as the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 4-1 on Wednesday. — Chen (5-2) allowed four hits and a run and departed …
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Associated Press:
Injured Polanco Expects to Play in All-Star Game — MIAMI (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco was held out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row Wednesday because of a sore back, and he plans to see a specialist when the team returns home for a weekend series against Atlanta.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Sports Illustrated:
Midseason Awards (cont.) — Around the Majors — • The Astros' Wandy Rodriguez may be as good as it gets among starting pitchers on this trade market, and that's assuming Houston consents to trading him, which is no certainty. The Astros are talking to other teams …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
